Public Administration and Policy

The Rockefeller College of Public Affairs & Policy at the University at Albany is proud to be recognized by US News & World Report as one of the top schools in the country. Talented students come to Rockefeller for the knowledge and tools to make a difference in the world. We pride ourselves on preparing dynamic leaders who will shape the public policies of the future. Whether you are interested in domestic policy or international affairs, thinking about a career at the local, state, national, or international level, or planning to enter graduate school, Rockefeller College will provide you with the tools you need to succeed and achieve your career goals.

The Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy provides graduate students with both academic and practical opportunities that provided a strong foundation for careers in the public, nonprofit and private sectors as well as careers in teaching or research. We also boast a series of unique combined degree program that allow our students to gain the most from their education by combining degrees in a manner that best suits their personal goals and professional needs.

The Master’s in Public Administration Program is designed to train and educate individuals for careers in public service, whether that is in the public, private, or non-profit sectors. This interdisciplinary degree focuses on the intellectual foundations of public administration, including quantitative analysis, management and professional skills. Students will be prepared for careers in nonprofit organizations, federal, state, and local governments, and for profit organizations that cooperate with the public sector.

In conjunction with The Albany Law School, the dual JD/MPA program has been designed to promote integration between the fields of law, public administration and public policy. It enables students to earn both degrees in, at most, four years of full-time study, rather than the usual five. Recipients of the dual JD/MPA hold professional credentials for a broad range of careers in government, consulting, teaching, research, and law.

The PhD in Public Administration & Policy prepares qualified candidates to shape the direction of research on the management of public and non-profit organizations, the relationship between sectors and levels of government, and the formation of public policy. Our graduates become the next generation of researchers, teachers, and leaders in the public and non-profit sectors, working in the academy, every level of government, and civil society writ large.

The Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Planning and Policy Analysis is a post master’s credential that allows graduate students on the University at Albany campus to deepen their technical work with applied policy analytic and planning courses. In many ways, the CAS is like a doctoral degree in that it requires advanced specialized coursework, except without the specific research and dissertation requirements. The program provides students with the opportunity to achieve greater technical skill and depth in a field associated with their master’s study.

The Graduate Certificate in International Health and Human Rights is a program for students and professionals who hope to gain practical knowledge in the fields of health and human rights. The primary objective of the program is to provide professionals and students with a framework for understanding health and human rights as a single issue area and for advocating that access to quality health care is a human right – regardless of wealth, power, status, standing or tradition.

The Nonprofit Management & Leadership Certificate is designed to provide students with the knowledge and tools to successfully navigate increasingly complex and demanding changes in the nonprofit world. Whether you are a nonprofit manager, a clinician with supervisory or management responsibilities, or an individual making a career shift to the nonprofit sector, the Certificate is the vehicle to move you to the next level.

The Public Sector Management Certificate is designed for professionals who hold or desire management positions and wish to enhance their formal management training. The five-course program of study explores critical structures and current topics in the following areas of specialization: Public Management, Public Economics and Finance, Local Government Management, Public Policy, Legislative Administration, Information Strategy and Management, Homeland Security.

The Certificate on Women and Public Policy was introduced by a group of Women's Studies faculty in the early 1980s to respond to a critical need for analysts and practitioners in public affairs to understand public policy’s differential impacts on women. Today, we continue to offer a relevant and exciting certificate program that analyzes the intersections of gender, race, class, and nation; integrates interdisciplinary approaches; and focuses on achieving social justice in collaboration with community members and organizations.